


Day Six: Afraid to Sleep

by Authoranna



Series: Comfortember 2020 [6]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Comfortember 2020, F/M, Storms, bed sharing, gotta do some world building here, long build up to the comfort, some angst and then comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:33:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27590750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Authoranna/pseuds/Authoranna
Summary: Malcolm Reed and Charlotte Watson are on an away mission with Hoshi Sato and Travis Mayweather on a pre-Industrial planet. Some cultural confusion leads to Malcolm and Charlotte sharing a room, though they aren't upset about it. A big storm blows up, and Charlotte isn't sure about the structural integrity of the building they're in.
Relationships: Malcolm Reed/ OFC
Series: Comfortember 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1999417
Collections: Comfortember 2020





	Day Six: Afraid to Sleep

**Author's Note:**

> Rewatching through the series, Malcolm says that his visit to the planet in the season 2 episode "The Communicator" is his first visit to a pre-warp planet. I had set this early in season 1, so that doesn't line up, and moving this to after that episode messes with more continuity in this series so we're just going to do a little handwaving and say he forgot about this planet in that episode for whatever reason.

The shutters shook against the window, rain pelting against the metal over the windows. She could hear the wind howling through the gaps between the buildings, the tight alleys creating wind tunnels. The street market had been put away at sundown, the inhabitants knowing a storm was coming by the wind and smell on the air. 

Charlotte shivered as she stepped away from the dresser and came towards the bed. Malcolm Reed, armoury officer and pain in her bum on occasion, lay on the mattress already, datapad in hand as he poured over notes he had taken about the planet. Him having the datapad was probably a risk too far, but no one could scan for technology on the planet. The planet was pre-Industrial age, barely, akin to Earth’s late Renaissance period. It was a warmer climate than Europe had been, however, clothing more free-flowing and shorter hems.

She sat on the edge of the bed, toeing off the sandals all the inhabitants wore after untying the laces that wound up her calves. Her knee-length dress had billowed around her when she had first put it on, but it became more form-fitting with the addition of a traditional women's brown leather belt. They hadn’t realized it on  _ Enterprise _ , but the markings on the belts had different meanings. That had been a rather unexpected and awkward surprise.

Earlier that afternoon, Charlotte had been bartering with a merchant over a bag of exotic looking fruit, her large sleeve and bag covering the belt. The merchant had seemed flirtatious, bold, but she had ignored it because it was only business and what merchant doesn’t flirt with the customer to get a better price. Malcolm had walked up to her side then, checking on all the members of the crew he could see, and she shifted to show him the fruit she was attempting to buy and revealed her belt. 

The merchant’s demeanor changed instantly, his eyes catching at the design on her belt and Malcolm’s hand hovering above her hip. “I’m sorry, sir, I didn’t realize she was your wife.” The merchant agreed on the price quickly, handing over the fruit. Charlotte and Malcolm exchanged confused glances as they walked away, quickly finding Ensign Hoshi Sato amongst the crowd. Ensign Travis Mayweather was the only other crewmember on the planet, and he was currently tucked away in a tavern getting acquainted with the local ale and hearing other gossip. 

Charlotte compared the pattern on her belt to the one on Hoshi’s, looking around discreetly at the other women’s belts throughout the market. Hoshi’s belt marked her as single, as near as Charlotte could tell; all the women with patterns like her own had a man with them. Why the quartermaster had chosen different patterned belts was beyond her, but perhaps the meaning was impossible to learn from scanners and listening to the comms. 

She handed Malcolm the bag, leaning to give him a peck on the cheek in gratitude before turning back to the task of collecting dinner. She didn’t see Hoshi’s surprised face at the gesture, nor Malcolm’s pleased smile. As they wove their way through the market, listening to gossip and buying dinner from various stands, Charlotte paid attention to the behaviour of the male merchants now that she realized the significance of the belt. They no longer flirted with her, but they also seemed surprised that she was the one haggling for the best price. The men would greet her, begin to sell to Malcolm, and each time the Brit would nod at her to take the lead and the merchant would pause for a moment before beginning his sales pitch again. 

The four humans rendezvoused at the agreed upon time, finding a low wall to sit upon and eat the food Charlotte had bought. The wall was out of the main thoroughfare and in a slightly secluded spot, well enough sheltered they felt comfortable comparing notes about the people they had met and the plan for the rest of the day. Travis had learned that the tavern let rooms above the dining hall, and they quickly decided there was the best place to lay low for the night. 

Since Charlotte had been the one entrusted with the money bag, she was unanimously voted in charge of renting rooms for the night. She walked to the tavern’s long bar, asking for two rooms. 

“I can give you three rooms, but not two,” the tavern keeper’s husband said, darting his eyes to Hoshi’s belt. “I won’t let a room so unbound people can have their ways with each other.”

“My friend and I will be sharing one room, while my husband will share a room with our other friend,” Charlotte answered, feeling the weight of the coins in her bag. 

“Three rooms, or none.”

“We can’t afford three rooms, sir. Do you know of any other places that will let rooms?”

The man looked over the four of them, then let out a sigh. “It’s obvious the two unbound ones aren’t seeking each other. Two rooms, but it’s upon your soul if they seek each other.”

Charlotte handed the coins over quickly, then turned to her companions before the man could lead them to their rooms. “So apparently there’s a significance to the belts that we didn’t know, and everyone thinks I’m married to Lieutenant Reed,” she whispered hurriedly. “So we’re sharing a room while you two are sharing the other room, but he’s very against the idea since you two aren’t married.”

Hoshi and Travis both looked confused at the mention of Malcolm and marriage in the same sentence, but quickly schooled their expressions as they were led to their room for the night. The rooms could only be locked from the inside, a bar going across to keep unwanted visitors out during the night. The four parted ways in the hall, Malcolm busy scanning their surroundings and noting where the rooms were located.

She undid the belt, tossing it onto the chair beside the bed. She pulled the dress off as well, the silky green fabric billowing around her again as she laid it on the chair to prevent wrinkles. Malcolm’s short pants and tank top -- vest shirt -- were neatly folded on the chair already, sandals tucked underneath the chair just as he always did his boots on the ship.

“I don’t like this storm,” Charlotte said, scooting up on the bed and pulling the blankets over herself. Malcolm let out a questioning sound, still absorbed in his notes. “We don’t know what the weather is like here; for all we know this storm could rage for weeks,” she continued.

He hmmmphed at her, not paying attention. She smacked him in the chest with the back of her hand then, saying his name. 

He put the datapad down, looking over at his companion. “What? I’m listening, Charlie.”

“No you’re not.”

He rolled his eyes at her, shaking his head. “The storm won’t go for weeks; our scans showed storms on the planet lasting only a couple of days at most, just like on Earth. What, you wouldn’t want to be stuck on this planet for weeks? Everyone thinking we’re married?” He rolled over to face her, propping himself up on one arm, head in his hand.

“Well that certainly wouldn’t be the worst thing I could think of,” she answered with a laugh. “Though I would definitely miss chef’s cooking and hot water showers after a few days.” 

The wind gusted then, the shutters coming loose and beginning to swing wildly back and forth against the building. Malcolm jumped out of bed, tripping on the blanket and landing face first on the floor. He got up quickly, running to the window and grabbing the two pieces of metal to latch them. Crisis averted, he turned to Charlotte, who was sprawled on the bed laughing hysterically. He had been drenched with the rain as he latched the shutters, his hair slicked to his head and his upper half covered in water. Thankfully for him he had already been stripped to the waist, and he shook himself off quickly before heading for the lone towel in the room. 

He dried his hair quickly, sluicing the rest of the water off his skin before crawling back into the bed. Charlotte had already placed the datapad on the floor next to the bed, hidden under the blankets that hung down. 

“No more note reading,” she said. “Get the light. Lamp, lantern, whatever the hell it is.”

Malcolm reached over to turn down the lantern, submerging the room in darkness. The rain continued to beat against the shutters and roof, a constant staccato akin to a rapid heartbeat.

Charlotte turned over, facing Malcolm’s back. He fell asleep quickly, one arm tucked under the feather pillow and the other hanging over the side of the bed. Sleep eluded Charlotte, however, and she tossed and turned before Malcolm finally awoke from her movements.

“You tell me no more reading but you won’t go to sleep,” he groaned, flipping over to face her.

“I can’t sleep. I’m afraid the shutters are going to come open again, and I’m not sure about the structural integrity of this building against the storm. It sounds like the wind is about to blow this place down. Maybe we should’ve gone back to the ship to sleep.”

“We’ve survived alien attacks and all kinds of space phenomena, and you’re afraid of some bad weather?” He turned his face into the pillow, groaning again before looking towards her. Or at least she thought he was looking towards her again; it was so dark in the room it was hard for her to tell for certain. 

“Look Malcolm, I don’t make fun of you for being afraid of water,” she spat back, sitting up. “Fuck you, I’m going to go see if Travis is willing to switch rooms with me.”

“Charlotte, wait!” He reached out, grabbing her wrist. “I’m sorry. Just come back to bed. Please. I’m sorry.”

She did as he requested, laying on her back with her arms crossed. She refused to look at him, not that he could tell in the dark, but it gave her satisfaction regardless.

“Charlie, it wasn’t right of me to make fun of your fear of storms. It’s a valid fear to have when you don’t know about the construction, especially on a planet without weather tracking technology. But you don’t need to be afraid; if  _ Enterprise _ thought it was dangerous we’d be gone already. Come here.” He put a hand on her far side, gently pulling her towards him just a scooch. 

Charlotte relented, scooting back so her back was pressed to Malcolm’s front. He wrapped an arm around her waist, snuggling close so his nose was buried in her hair. She laughed softly, his breath tickling her. 

The storm quieted then, the wind dying down and the rain turning to a soft pitter-patter against the shutters. 

“This isn’t so bad, hm?” Malcolm asked, stifling a yawn. “Good weather, the food is palatable, we don’t have to sneak around to share a bed.”

“Let’s retire here, then. Only 30 more years,” Charlotte replied, her eyes growing heavy. 

“But no hot water showers.”

“They might get to them in 30 years.” Charlotte drifted to sleep finally, cocooned in the blanket and the arms of her man. The questions she’d face tomorrow were far from her mind, and she was content as she hadn’t been in a very long time. 


End file.
